Unit-4

Unit-4 [Biodiversity AND Environment]

EXERCISES

2. Fill in the blanks with suitable words given below:

environment, balanced environment, recycle, renewable, non-renewable, biodiversity, reduction

a. Availability of variety of animals and plants is biodiversity.
b. The maintenance of balance in the amount of living beings and nonliving things is called balanced environment.
c. The practice of not bringing the packaging materials of bought things to home is called reduction.
d. The natural resource that can be replaced shortly after it is finished at its origin place is called renewable resource.

3. Answer the following questions:

a. Write the importance of biodiversity.
Biodiversity is important because it:

  • Helps maintain the balance in the ecosystem.
  • Provides essential resources such as food, fiber, and medicine.
  • Supports the survival of living beings by maintaining ecological balance.

b. How can we maintain an ecosystem balanced?

  • Protecting wildlife and conserving biodiversity.
  • Reducing deforestation and planting more trees.
  • Proper management of natural resources to avoid overuse.
  • Minimizing pollution and waste in the environment.

c. What is wetland?
A wetland is a low-lying area where water remains accumulated either permanently or seasonally, supporting various plants and animals.

d. Why are water reservoirs important?
Water reservoirs are important because:

  • They store water for various purposes like drinking, irrigation, and hydroelectricity.
  • Help to control floods and droughts.
  • Provide habitats for aquatic plants and animals.

e. Mention major methods of solid waste management.

  • Reuse, reduce, and recycle waste materials.
  • Use of composting for organic waste.
  • Proper segregation and disposal of waste.

f. How does the extensive use of chemical fertilizers and insecticides to produce more crops in less land deplete natural resources?
Extensive use of chemical fertilizers and insecticides:

  • Reduces soil fertility over time.
  • Causes pollution in nearby water sources.
  • Harms microorganisms in the soil, affecting its natural quality.

g. Explain the importance of wetlands.

  • Wetlands prevent floods by absorbing excess water.
  • They help in purifying water and maintaining the water table.
  • Provide habitats for many aquatic plants and animals.

h. "Nepal is rich in biodiversity". Justify the statement with your logic.
Nepal is rich in biodiversity because, Nepal has a variety of landforms, ranging from the plains (Terai), Hills and to the high Himalayas. The climatic variation from tropical to alpine supports diverse species. Nepal is home to about 17000 animal species and about 13000 plant species. Nepal has many national parks and conservation areas that protect flora and fauna.

i. Write the differences between:

Reuse Recycle
Using an item multiple times for the same or different purpose without changing its form. Processing waste materials into new products or materials.
Reduces waste generation directly by reusing the same items. Reduces waste indirectly by converting waste into new items.
Ex: Reusing glass bottles for storage, using old clothes as rags. Ex: Recycling plastic to make new containers, recycling paper to make new sheets.

Water Reserve Wetland
A natural or man-made storage of water for future use, such as reservoirs and dams. A natural area saturated with water, supporting aquatic plants and animals.
Primarily for storing water for drinking, irrigation, or hydroelectricity. Maintains biodiversity, prevents floods, and purifies water naturally.
Lakes, reservoirs, and dams. Marshes, swamps, and estuaries.

Renewable Resource Nonrenewable Resource
Resources that can naturally regenerate or replenish within a short time. Resources that cannot be replaced once consumed, as they take millions of years to form.
Sustainable if used within their regeneration capacity. Unsustainable as their supply is limited and exhaustible.
Solar energy, wind energy, water, forests. Fossil fuels (coal, petroleum), minerals (gold, silver).


j. Explain the interrelationship between environment and biodiversity.
The environment provides the necessary habitat for various organisms, while biodiversity ensures the balance of the environment by contributing to ecosystem services like pollination, nutrient cycling, and climate regulation. A balanced environment supports biodiversity, and rich biodiversity helps maintain the health of the environment.

k. What are the precautions to be taken while using natural resources?

The precautions to be taken are;

  • Avoid overexploitation of resources like water, forests, and minerals.
  • Promote afforestation and reforestation.
  • Reduce, reuse, and recycle materials.
  • Minimize pollution to protect air, water, and soil resources.

l. What are natural resources? On which basis are they classified?

  • Natural resources: Resources available in nature that are used by humans for survival and development, such as air, water, soil, forests, and minerals. 
Natural resources are classified into two categories;
  • Renewable
  • Non-Renewable

m. Describe any five causative factors of depletion of natural resources in short.

Five major cause of depletion of natural resources are;

  1. Deforestation: Cutting down forests for timber, agriculture, or urbanization.
  2. Natural Disasters: Natural causes such as landslides, Floods etc.
  3. Pollution: Contamination of air, water, and soil affecting resources.
  4. Overpopulation: Increased demand for resources due to rising population.
  5. Industrialization: Excessive use of natural resources for industries causing depletion.

4. Answer the following questions on the basis of the given diagram:

                                                                    
                                                                    DEFORESTION 

i. What is the impact of this activity on agriculture?

  • Deforestation leads to soil erosion, reducing soil fertility, which negatively impacts agricultural productivity.

ii. What are its effects on water resources and water reserves?

  • Loss of forests reduces water level in soil, causing a  risk of floods and droughts.

iii. How does the activity affect the wildlife?

  • Destruction of forests results in the loss of habitats which endangers wildlife and reduces biodiversity.

iv. Which natural resources are shown in the figure?

  • Forests and Trees are shown in the figure.

v. What may be your role to balance it?

  • Promote afforestation and reforestation.
  • Create awareness about the importance of forests.
  • Reduce the use of wood and use alternatives.
  • Support and follow conservation laws.

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